This present invention improves upon several aspects of a class of canopies to protect a person from mosquitoes and other insects, using a mosquito net or other similar fabric to cover beds, cots, and the like, including their framework or supporting mechanism.
Typical canopy supports of the art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 364,415; 800,530; 2,301,511; 2,841,803; and 6,715,168. Some type of suitable netting material is typically supported by a rigid frame. The patent by Hooper ('415) illustrates netting for a bed supported by four columns having bands or cords extending between columns to support the netting. The columns are held in place by feet inserted beneath the legs of the bed.
The Young patent ('530) discloses a rigid frame supporting a canopy. The posts are secured to the ends of the cot legs and rings connected to the side bars prevent the posts from falling away. Upper canopy side bars are removable and secured to the upper end of the posts on each side to properly stretch and hold in place the canopy material. The rigid frame remains attached to the cot when the cot is folded.
The Boyce patent ('511) discloses a mosquito bar rigid frame support at each end of a conventional army cot comprising vertical supporting rods each held in place by an upper supporting loop around the frame of the cot and a base loop around the lower end of a supporting leg. The top of the supporting rods have telescoping sleeves to receive a cross-bar. The insect bar is stretched from one end assembly to the other end assembly and secured by tying the fabric to the cot.
The Bodling patent ('803) is a tent constructed over a cot by providing a rigid frame located lengthwise above the center of the cot. Uprights at each end have pins at their lower ends adapted to be secured in vertical holes formed in the end rails of the cot. A hinged ridge pole at the top of the uprights provides support for the netting between the ridge pole and the lateral edges of the cot, similar to a pup-tent.
The Williams patent (168) discloses a rectangular rigid frame of a plurality of square tubes that form side members along the length and cross members across the width of the top frame. A pair of T-shaped center fittings are provided for connecting a pair of the square tube side members near the center of the length of the top frame and connecting one square tube cross member extending across the width of the top frame. Double square corner fittings are provided for connecting the square tube side members to square tube cross members at each corner of the top frame.
Typical portable tents of the art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,236,543; and 6,672,323. Although these tent structures utilize a flexible support system, they are different from the current invention, in that the flexible supports are either attached to the peripheral portions, or they are permanently affixed to the tent.
The Moss patent ('543) is a portable tent, comprising a flexible covering held tense to provide the shape of the shelter by two resiliently flexible pole members held in a flexed condition by peripheral portions of said side walls, each said pole member having the end portions thereof held respectively by front and rear peripheral portions of the same side wall to hold the pole member in an inverted generally U-shape, tensing said side walls horizontally and the central portion thereof held by the upper peripheral portion of the other side wall to hold the pole member in a bowed shape.
The Gupta patent ('323) is a self-erecting structure having resilient lower and upper support loops which provide it with shape and support. Fabric covers the support loops, and is permanently affixed to the support loops.
Due to the critical importance to provide military personnel protection against insect-borne diseases, the U.S. military currently issues several types of bednets. The standard insect net protector, (NSN 7210-00-266-9736), and (NSN 7210-01-520-7136) and the insect bar (NSN 7210-00-266-9740). These bednets have a variety of limitations associated with them, such as not being impregnated with a repellent, requiring four 36″ rigid poles to set-up, difficult to access, and not having a floor to be fully enclosed.
The Self-Supporting Low-Profile (SS-LP) bednet (NSN 3740-01-516-4415 [woodland green] and NSN 3740-01-518-7310 [coyote brown]) eliminates most of the limitations associated with the previously mentioned standard bednets. Based upon U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,323 by Gupta, it is a lightweight, self-contained bednet with an integral self supporting frame, that folds into a 12 inch diameter package. This bednet is intended for short-term use by rapidly deployable mobile forces (e.g., Rangers, Special Forces, Infantry, etc.), however, it is not ideal for longer-term use by less mobile occupants (e.g., medical field hospital personnel or the wounded, etc.) due to it having a low-profile that can make it feel claustrophobic.
This present invention is directed to the protection of persons in an improved net enclosure that military personnel are willing to use on a routine and long-term basis. This improved net enclosure is designed to protect against all biting insects, with a mesh size large enough to permit air flow, a lack of which is the main reason why many military personnel will not use insect bednets, as well as having a high-profile that provides ample headroom to sit-up inside on top of a standard military cot.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is a portable and lightweight, self-supporting, high-profile, net enclosure comprised of a fabric membrane that defines an interior rectangular space having opposing side walls and opposing end walls, a floor and ceiling to be constructed of no-see-um netting, and ripstop fabric material treated with an EPA-approved long-lasting insecticide that will maintain its physical and insecticidal integrity for at least 5 years of continuous use, and not require re-treatment with insecticide after washing or prolonged exposure to direct sunlight (UV radiation).
Another object of this present invention is that it has optional tie ribbons attached to the fabric membrane along top of the opposing side walls at the ceiling on the inside of the interior rectangular space, that are constituted by a material readily able to loosen and retie to provide additional tautness to the fabric membrane.
Another object of this present invention is that it has tie loops at top four corners on its exterior are constituted by a material readily able to optionally support the net enclosure in absence of the poles.
Another object of this present invention includes a self-contained water-resistant floor making it fully enclosed with durable fabric reinforcing patches in the lower inside corners of the interior rectangular space that are made of a material to prevent puncture by the poles and by a military cot legs, if used inside.
Another object of this present invention is that a standard military cot easily fits inside, with enough headroom that the occupant can comfortably sit-up on top of the cot.
Another object of this present invention is that it has an inverted “T” zippered entrance that can be operated from inside or outside the net enclosure that releases two flaps on one side that can be folded-back and secured opened to provide full accessibility to a wounded occupant requiring medical assistance and to provide enhanced ventilation.
Another object of this present invention is that it has a sectional frame designed to allow the individual components to easily fit together as an assembled unit so the entire net enclosure can be erected in less than five minutes, and disassembled and repackaged in under five minutes.
Another object of the present invention is that the net enclosure frame uses a minimum number of different components that are interconnected so that assembly and disassembly is easily achieved without errors.
Another object of this present invention is that it has a fabric pouch sewn inside to provide secure storage for loose items, and reverses to enable net enclosure with poles to be securely and compactly packaged inside for portability.
Another object of this present invention is that it is a freestanding net enclosure with two resiliently flexible segmented poles having two angles each that separate three straight pole sections into one horizontally oriented section and two vertically oriented sections with domed end tips; durable fabric reinforcing patches in lower inside corners of the interior rectangular space. The net enclosure maintains a stable shape when the fabric membrane is pushed out by the poles that are contained within the interior rectangular space and caused to bend in a flexed condition by the fabric membrane that biases the poles in place when the poles domed end tips are positioned on the durable fabric reinforcing patches in opposing lower inside corners of the interior rectangular space, with the vertically oriented pole sections crossing diagonally at the end walls, and the horizontally oriented pole section of the poles positioned parallel to each other along top of the opposing side walls at the ceiling with the two angles of each the pole positioned in upper inside corners of the interior rectangular space; the self-supporting configuration of which is a focus of this invention.
A need exists to have a self-supporting flexible frame, to support a high-profile insect net enclosure, treated with a long-lasting insecticide to provide individualized protection from biting insects, such as mosquitoes, for wounded military personnel subject to prolong stays on cots in field hospitals, with the ability to sit-up, and other features to reduce a claustrophobic feeling. The frame should be easily assembled, lightweight, and flexible to support an insect net enclosure with good air circulation, high accessibility, to include installing a standard military cot, and an integral compact storage system.
The present invention can be utilized in many commercial, humanitarian, or disaster relief applications with equal functionality and effectiveness.
Further objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings included in and forming a part of this invention.